Envelope with external pocket for removable tag



May 27, 1969 J, CARmGAN ET AL 3,446,421

ENVELOPE WITH EXTERNAL POCKET FOR REMOVABLE TAG Filed Oct- 2. 1967 Sheet 012 INVENTORS ROBERT J. CARRIGAN RALPH K. STONE AIYOK/VEYJ' May 27, 1969 R. J. CARRIGAN ETAL 3,445,421

ENVELOPE WITH EXTERNAL POCKET FOR REMOVABLE TAG Filed Oct. 2, 1967 Sheet 2 of2 United States Patent 3,446,421 ENVELOPE WITH EXTERNALPOCKET FOR REMOVABLE TAG Robert J. Carrigan, Thompsonville, and Ralph K. Stone,

Longmeadow, Mass, assignors to United States Envelope Company, Springfield, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Oct. 2, 1967, Ser. No. 672,086 Int. Cl. B65d 27/04, 27/08 US. Cl. 229-70 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Background of the invention This invention relates in general to envelopes or bags and deals more particularly with an envelope of the type having a pocket separate from its main body and opening externally thereof.

The general aim of this invention is to provide an improved envelope of the aforedescribed type for carrying an insert or tag which may be removed therefrom without opening the main body of the envelope. The envelope of the present invention has many uses and may, be used to package merchandise and carry an inventory control tag readily removable from the package when the merchandise is sold. By way of further example, it may also be used as a package for goods and to carry a data or instruction sheet separate from the goods.

Summary of invention In accordance with the present invention, a flexible envelope is provided which has a pocket separate from and opening externally of its main body for containing an insert or tag. A material somewhat less flexible than material from which the envelope is made is preferably used to make the tag. The pocket is constructed and arranged so that the tag cannot be easily removed therefrom when the material from which the pocket is formed is in a generally flattened condition or in the plane of the tag, however, the tag may be readily removed from the pocket when a portion of the pocket material is flexed out of the plane of the tag.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an envelope embodying the present invention and shows a tag received in an external pocket on the envelope.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a blank of folded sheet material from which the envelope of FIG. 1 is made and shows the tag in its relative position of assembly between folds of the blank.

FIG. 3 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the envelope of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a somewhat schematic sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a somewhat schematic sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is generally similar to FIG. 5, but shows a portion of the envelope in a flexed condition and the tag being removed therefrom.

for example,

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of another envelope embodying the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a somewhat schematic sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

Description of preferred embodiments Turing now to the drawings and first considering FIGS. -6, an envelope or bag embodying the present invention and generally designated by the numeral 12 is. shown in an empty or flattened condition indicated by full lines in FIG. 1. The envelope 12 has a main body 14 and a closing flap 16 having an exteriorly opening pocket 18 associated therewith for containing an insert or tag 20. To facilitate insertion of the tag the pocket 1'8 has a mouth 22 accessible when the flap 16 is in an open position. When the flap is in its closed position, the tag may be removed from the pocket through a slot 24 in the flap without opening the main body of the envelope.

The envelope 12 is particularly adapted to be made on automatic envelope manufacturing machinery and is assembled from a blank indicated generally at 26 in FIG. 2 cut from a web or continuous strip of flexible sheet material. Preferably and as shown, the material is a transparent thermoplastic material. The envelope may be made from a variety of materials and may vary in shape, but preferably has a generally rectangular shape. It includes substantially identical front and rear panels respectively indicated at 28 and 30 joined by a pair of rectangular bottom panels 32, 32 along fold lines 34 and 36. The bottom panels 32, 32, in the collapsed condition of the envelope, are folded inwardly along a central fold line 38 parallel to the fold lines 34 and 36 to a position between the front and rear panels 28 and 30 so that the latter two panels lie in generally side by side relationship.

Joined to the rear panel 30 along a fold line 40 is the closing flap 16 which is also generally rectangular. A panel 42, comprising a contiguous part of the blank 26, is connected to the flap 16 along another fold line 44 and is folded rearwardly therealong and into overlying relationship with an associated surface portion of the flap 16. The panel 42 has a free edge 45 generally parallel to and spaced from the fold line 40.

The various parts of the envelope may be adhesively joined or be bonded together in assembly by heat sealing the thermoplastic material to form seams between adjacent parts to be joined. The envelope 12 has a gusseted bottom panel construction, the bottom panels 32, 32 being joined to each other and to the front and rear panels respectively by seams 46, 46 extending along the side edges of the envelope and joining the front and rear panels in assembly. Thus, the bottom panels may be expanded or spread apart from their folded flat or full line position to an expanded position generally indicated by broken lines in FIG. 1 giving the envelope 12 a bag-like appearance.

The panel 42 is joined to the flap 16 by seams 48, 48 extending along the side edges thereof. Opposed lines of attachment or seams 50 and 52 longitudinally spaced with respect to the flap 16 and extending transversely thereof between the fold line 44 and the free edge 45 further connect the panel 42 to the flap to define the pocket 18 therebetween. The pocket month 22 is partially defined by the free edge 45 and opens generally toward the fold line 40 as best shown in FIG. 4. The slit 24 extends transversely through the flap 16 near the seam 50 and opens exteriorly of the envelope 12 when the flap is in its closed position.

Material somewhat less flexible than the material from which the envelope is made is preferably used to make the tag 20. Preferable and as shown, the tag is generally rectangular and has a longitudinal dimension slightly smaller than the longitudinal distance between the seams 50 and 52. The slit 24 is in turn spaced from the seam 52 a distance less than the longitudinal dimension of the tag 20.

The tag is preferably inserted into the pocket 18 through the mouth 22; however, it will be noted that when the flap 16 is in its closed position the mouth is inaccessible so that the tag cannot be removed from the pocket through the mouth. To facilitate tag removal, the slit 24 is provided. Referring to FIG. 4, it will be noted that the longitudinal dimension of the tag 20 relative to the longitudinal spacing between the seams 50 and 52 and the placement of the slit 24 is such that the tag will tend to remain in the pocket 18 when the plane of the flap 16 is generally parallel to the plane of the tag. The tag may be readily removed from the pocket by flexing a portion of the flap 16 forwardly to a position out of the plane of the tag 20. Thus, when the left-hand portion of the flap 16 is flexed forwardly or in an upwardly direction, as it .appars oriented to FIG. 6, the slit 24 is spread to an open condition so that a portion of one end of the tag 20 extends therefrom. The extending end portion may be readily grasped to effect removal of the tag in a manner generally illustrated in FIG. 6.

A further embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. For convenience in the description which follows, this embodiment is illustrated with reference to an envelope identical in most respects to the previously described envelope 12 but differing therefrom in the general construction and arrangement of its external tag carrying pocket. Identical parts are identified by the same reference numerals previously employed in describing the envelope 12.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, an envelope embodying the invention and identified by the reference numeral 56 includes front, rear and bottom panels joined together in assembly in the manner generally aforedescribed. A generally rectangular closing flap 58 is connected to the rear panel along the fold line 40, however, unlike the flap of the previous embodiment 12, the flap S8 terminates in a longitudinally extending free edge 60. The envelope 56 has an external pocket 62 formed by a generally rectangular panel 64 connected to the upper edge of the rear panel along a fold line 66 and folded therealong into overlying relationship with an associated portion of the rear surface. Seams 46, 46 join the front panel 28 and the panel 64 to the rear panel 30 and extend along the side edges thereof. Further connection between the rear panel 30 and the panel 64 is provided by seams 68, 68, 70 and 72 which define the generally rectangular pocket 62 therebetween. A transversely extending slit 74 through the panel 62 and near the seam 70 provides access to the pocket for insertion and the removal of a generally rectangular tag 20. The longitudinal distance between the seam 72 and the slit 74 is somewhat smaller than the longitudinal dimension of the tag 20 so that a tag placed in the pocket 62 tends to remain therein. The tag is inserted into the pocket and removed therefrom by flexing the main body of the envelope to open the slit 74 in the manner generally aforedescribed.

The drawings show preferred embodiments of the invention and such embodiments have been described, but it will be understood that various changes may be made from the construction disclosed and that the drawings and description are not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

We claim:

1. An article of manufacture comprising an envelope made from a piece of flexible folded sheet material and having an exteriorly opening pocket therein for receiving and completely enclosing a removable insert made from material relatively less flexible than said sheet material, said piece of material including a panel portion folded into overlying relation with an associated portion of the surface of said envelope and of substantially lesser extent than said envelope surface, said panel portion being bonded to said associated surface portion along opposed and longitudinally spaced apart lines of attachment and cooperating therewith to define said pocket, one of said pocket defining portions having a slit extending transversely therethrough defined by contiguous parts of said one pocket defining portion and opening exteriorly of said envelope, said slit being spaced from each of said lines of attachment a distance less than the longitudinal dimension of said insert so that said insert is removable from said pocket through said slit only when a portion of said sheet material defining said slit is flexed to a position out of the plane of said insert.

2. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 1 further characterized by at least a portion of said piece of material forming the exterior surface of said pocket being transparent so that the insert is visible therethrough.

3. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 1 further characterized by said piece of material being a generally rectangular strip of material, said panel portion joined to said strip along a fold line and having a width substantially equal to the width of said strip.

4. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 1 further characterized by said envelope including a closing fiap attached thereto along one fold line and fold-able therealong to a closed position, said panel portion being connected to said flap along another fold line and folded therealong into overlying relation with said flap, said flap defining said associated surface portion.

5. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 4 further characterized by said panel portion underlying said fiap in said closed position and having a free edge portion partially defining a mouth of said pocket opening generally toward said one fold line, said mouth being inaccessible when said flap is in its closed position.

6. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 1 further characterized by said piece of material being a thermoplastic material and by said panel portion being bonded to said associated surface portion by being heat sealed thereto.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,520,449 8/1950 Allen 229-71 3,348,759 10/1967 Johnson 22953 2,669,382 2/1954 Poppe 229-72 FOREIGN PATENTS 634,488 1/ 1962 Canada.

DAVID M. BOCKENEK, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 229-71, 72 

